Sight feed device



Nov. 8, 1932. F, L. BADGETT SIGHT FEED DEVICE Filed June 17. 1930 3% WW m m4. V a v n v m A l V iln W yLknu Y p A w I. T v J n n a d guz dyiW 7 m l W z a 4Ll z 2w 0/ w Patented Nov. 8, 1932 STATES PATENT O F C it FRED LEE BADGETT, or GHICKASI-IA, OKLAHOMA; BILLIE 1B. BADGETT, ADMINISTRA- Tmxor THE ESTATE or SAID FRED L. BADGETT', DECEASED SIGHT Tenn nnvrcn Application filed J'une 17,

This invention appertains to improvements in sight feed devices generally and more particularly to 'a type thereof adapted for use in connection with steam lubricators of the class as set forth in my co-pending applications (1) filed July 26, 1927 (Serial No. 208,636), (2) filed January 25, 1929 (Serial No. 335,077); and (3)"filed June 17, 1930 (Serial No. 461,777). 1 I Y An object of the invention is to provide a .sight feed'device, through which a supply of lubricant is passed to a-point of use, which is of aconstruction and arrangement to facil itate the" passage of the lubricant therethroughin a manner that the bulls-eye or sight windows, throughwhich the flow of lubricant is to be obser'ved, will not become filmed with the lubricant or otherwise rendered opaque or translucent to the sight of the observer over comparatively long periods of operation of a steam lubricator or the like with which the device is employed.

Another object of'the invention resides in the provision of means whereby a supply 01? steam is admitted to the interior of the sight feed device toheat the same in order lugs 14, WlllCh are each exteriorly. screw I that the lubricant will remain in a fluid condition in its passage therethrough and as a consequence'whereof will not tend to contact and film the bulls-eyes or sight windows aforesaid.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the sight feed device that the steam admitted to the interior of thesame will be 85 at least partiallycondensed in order that va supply of water will be maintained in the lower'part of the'said interior and of a depth 1 sufficient to cover the bulls-eyes or sight windows and thereby act as an added preventa- 40 tive against theobscuring or clouding of the latter by V the lubricant feed through the device. 7 P

With the foregoing and other equally important objects and advantages in view, the

invention resides-in the certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more .fully'described, set. forth'in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing'inwhich: r

1930. Serial N0. 461,778

Figure 1 is a side'elevation of a practical embodiment of the improved sight feed device as it appears when installed on a steam lubricator, the latter being shown in fragmentary side elevation,

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section. through the sight feeddevice per se,

Figure 3'is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 83 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 isa-hor'izontal section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2. 7

.Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate-corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, the embodiment of the invention, as shown therein by way of example only, is constituted in'a'body' 10, preferably of cast metal or the like, which has-its interior hollowed out to form asightfeed compartment 11 and a steam receiving compartment 12, the two compartments being separated by a partition wall13 extending vertically within the body. 1

-Formed in the oppositesides of the lower end portion of the sight feed compartment 11 are outwardly nippled aligned sight openthreaded to receive a clamp nut 15 thereon. These clamp nuts15 are each counter-bored outwardly of their inner ends to a diameter substantially equal to the exterior diameter of a nipple 14 in order to clamp the annular flange portion 16 of a sight lens or bulls-eye 17 between the outer end of the nipple 14 and 'thesimilar ends of the counter-bore aforesaid. Interposed between the opposite sides of each flange 16 and the opposed portions of adjacent nipple 14 and nut 15 are compressible washers or the like 18 which act to protect the flange 16 against breakage, as well as to prevent leakage of wateror oil, outwardly of the nipple openingsli. I

Projecting inwardly of the bottom- Wall of the compartment 11 is a lubricant discharge nozzle '19 which has its outer end provided with a pipe connection 20 leading to a lubricant supply reservoir (not shown) and its inner end terminating substantially in the'horizontal plane defined by the lower sides of the aligned sight openings 14:, so that partment 11 through an opening 22 formed in the partition wall 13 toward its upper end. Steam filling both compartments 12 and 11 is partially condensed therein and thewater therefrom will pass to the lower side of the body to a common level therein by reason of an opening 23 being formed in the partition wall toward its lower end. A drain cook or the like 24 is secured in the lower wall of the compartment 12 in order to draw off the fluid content of the two compartments 11 and 12 as occasion may require. 7

An outlet pipe 25 leads from one side of the compartment 11 for conveying the lubricant from the sight feed device to a point of use, while a removable plug 26 is provided in the top wall of the compartment 11 to give access to the interior of the latter at a point above and in line with the upper end of the lubricant discharge nozzle 19. The position of the lubricant outlet pipe 25 in the side wall of the compartment 11 of course will determine the normal level of the water, which, as shown, will be well above the upper sides of the bulls-eyes or sight windows 17 As shown, the nozzle 19will preferably have a lubricant control valve 27 interposed between the outer end ofthe'same and the adjacent end of the supply pipe 20, and similarly the outer end of the lubricant outlet pipe 25 will also connect a control valve 28.

In the preferred use of the sight feed device as thus constructed and arranged and particularly illustrated in Figure 1, the steam pipe 21' will lead to and connect a control valve 29, which, in turn, is connected by a pipe assembly 30 to a usual steam supply line a, while the lubricant outlet control valve 28 is connected by a short pipe section 31 to the steam supply pipe a at a point between the connection therewith of the steam pipe 30 and the machineryto be operated by the steam passing through the same. Similarly, the lubricant inlet control valve27 is connected by the pipe 20 to a lubricant supply reservoir 6, which, as shown in Figure l, is

supported directly from the steam supplyline ar, by means of a metal connection 0,

through which heat is transmitted from the latter to the reservoir 6 in order to keep the lubricant in free flowing fluid condition at all times.

In operation, a suflicient amount of water will be placed within the body 10 of the device to fill the same to the level of the lubricant outlet 25. This will be done by removing the plug 26 from the opening in the top wallof the compartment'll. After replacing the plug 26, the control valves 27 28 and 29 will be opened, when the lubricant will be discharged from the nozzle 19 upwardly through the water in the compartment 11, in direct line with the bulls-eyes or sight windows 17, from whence it will pass outwardly ofthe outlet 25.

The steam admitted to the compartment 12 will be partially condensed therein and will thus maintain the'level ofthe water in With this understanding of the invention," it will be readily apparent (1) that the sight feed provided for 'cannotfail, since the water covering the bull -eyes-or sight windows 17 is constantly changed by the condensation in the steam condensing line, formed bythe' pipes 21 and 30 and the control valve 29, and in the. compartment 12, passing into the compartment 11; (2) that vibration will notaffect the sight feed since the lubricant is floated on' the waterflevel and is thereby prevented from striking the side walls of the compartment 11 below that level; (3) that the lubricant cannot spill and stand in the sight feed by reason of the live, dry steam beingadmitted tothe compartment 1]. from the compartment 12 above the level of the water and thereby making the feed substantially self-heating and self cleaning; and (4) that the needle-point valve or nozzle 19' at the lower side of the compartment 11 can be readily and instantly regulated to vary the amount of lubricant to be fed upwardly through the body of water, from a few drops to a constant stream.

Without further description, it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understoodthat changes in form, proportion and minor detailsof construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope as claimed.

I claim:

1. A sight feed device for steam lubricalower'end portions to establish communication between the said compartments, means for admitting steam into the upper end portion of one ofsaid compartments to heat the ,body and to formabody ofwater in both compartments by condensatioma lubricant outlet in a side wall of the other of the said compartments substantially in the plane of the level of. the water therein, means for discharging a lubricant upwardly of the said other compartment and through the water therein for subsequent discharge from said outlet and aligned sight windows in opposite side walls of the said other compartment and below the level of the water therein.

2. A sight feed device for steam lubricators and the like comprising a hollow body, a vertical partition dividing the interior of said body into compartments, said partition having an opening in each of its upper and lower end portions to establish communication between the said compartments, means for admitting steam into the upper end portion of one of said compartments to heat the body and to form a body of water in both compartments by condensation, a lubricant outlet in a side wall of the other of the said compartments substantially in the plane of the level of the water therein, a nozzle projecting inwardly of the bottom wall of the said other compartment for discharging a lubricant upwardly of the said othercom partment and through the water therein for subsequent discharge from said outlet and aligned sight windows in opposite side walls of the said other compartment and below the level of the water therein.

3. A sight feed device for steam lubricators and the like comprising a hollow body, a vertical partition dividing the interior of said body into compartments, said partition having an opening in each of its upper and lower end portions to establish communication between the said compartments, means for admitting steam into the upper end por tion of one of said compartments to heat the body and to form a body of water in both compartments by condensation, a lubricant outlet in a side wall of the other of the said compartments substantially in the plane of the level of the water therein, a nozzle projecting inwardly of the bottom wall of the said other compartment for discharging a lubricant upwardly of the said other compartment and through the water therein for subsequent discharge from said outlet, means for controlling the rate of flow of the lubricant through said nozzle and from said outlet, and aligned sight windows in opposite side walls of the said other compartment and below the level of the water therein.

l. A sight feed device for steam lubricators and the like comprising ahollow body, a vertical partition dividing the interior of said body into compartments, said partition having an opening in each of its upper and lower end portions to establish communication between the said compartments, means for admitting steam into the upper end portion of one of said compartments to heat the body and to form a body of water in both compartments by condensation, a lubricant outlet in the outer side wall of the other of the said compartments substantially in the plane of the level of the water therein, a nozzle projecting inwardly of the bottom wall of the said other compartment for discharging a lubricant upwardly of the said other compartment and'through the water therein for subsequent discharge from said outlet, means for controlling the rate of flow of the lubricant through said nozzle and said body into compartments, said partition having an opening in each of its upper and lower end portions to establish communication between the said compartments, means for admitting steam into the upper end portion of one of said compartments to heat the body and to form a body of water in both compartments by condensation, a lubricant outlet in the outer side wall of the other of the said compartments substantially in the plane of the level of the water therein, a nozzle projecting inwardly of the bottom wall of the said other compartment for discharging a lubricant upwardly of the said other compartment and through the water therein for subsequent discharge from said outlet, means for controlling the rate of flow of the lubricant through said nozzle andfrom said outlet, means at the lower end of the first mentioned of said compartments, for draining the interior of said body, aligned sight windows in opposite side walls of the said other compartment and below the level of the water therein, and a normally.

closed inlet in the upper end of the said other compartment for the introduction therethrough of an initial supply of water to be supplemented and maintained by the water of condensation from the first named compartment.

FRED LEE BADGETT. 

